Polly has helped launch the Ramsgate Pride in Place programme at the official launch event in Ramsgate. The programme will deliver £20 million of long-term investment into Ramsgate over the next decade, with the first phase of the plans having now been signed off by the government.
Speaking after the launch, Polly said:
“This funding is about strengthening what already makes Ramsgate special — our creativity, our energy, and our strong community networks — while also addressing challenges that have been allowed to build up for far too long after more than decade of austerity and neglect. It means we can support local projects, improve facilities, invest in our public spaces, and help our town centre to thrive. It is about giving Ramsgate the tools to shape its own future. I cannot wait to see what we deliver together over the next few years”
Pride in Place also forms part of a wider programme of investment across Thanet that will breathe new life into our community: £270,000 for new playgrounds, £1.5 million in additional Pride in Place funding for public projects, and new breakfast clubs, nurseries, and upgrades to locals schools and NHS facilities like QEQM hospital and the new Thanet Health Hub.
One of the first major successes of the Ramsgate Pride in Place project has been saving local youth centre Pie Factory Music from being sold off by Kent County Council. With support from Thanet District Council, Pride in Place funding has been used to secure the future of a centre that is one of the last remaining safe havens for young people in Ramsgate.